


Nobody Ever Told You

by TheGriefPolice



Series: Where I Come From [7]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Depression, For a good friend going through a hard time, Light Angst, Little!Kate, Little!McGee, Little!Tony, McGee need a hug, Other, Papa!Gibbs, short fic, team as a family, zero self-confidence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 18:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12305412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGriefPolice/pseuds/TheGriefPolice
Summary: McGee just hasn’t been able to pick himself up lately. He’s met this monster before, but this time is different. This time he’s got his family.“Nobody Ever Told You” —Carry Underwood, 2012





	Nobody Ever Told You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [I May Age Regress (shnuffeluv)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/gifts).



> This is for a really great friends who’s been going through some hard times lately and I want them to know that I’m always here! Love you!!!

Nobody Ever Told You

“Come on, McGoo!” DiNozzo yelled across the apartment. 

McGee looked in the mirror one last time before giving up. There was no way he’d be able to cover up the dark circles under his eyes. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and then stepping out.

“About time, man. Come on.” DiNozzo shrugged his suit jacket back on, grabbing for McGee’s keys and walking towards the door.

“Tony, I’m really not sure if this is a good idea.” McGee said as he feed one arm through the sleeve of his jacket. 

Translation: I’m not sure if I have the energy to do this right now.

“You need to get out of this room, probie. Boss gave us some time off to live a little!” DiNozzo held open the door, moving his arms to tell McGee to hurry up.

McGee sighed, knowing there was no way to get out of this. Once DiNozzo set his mind on something, there was no way to change it.

To be honest, McGee would have been perfectly happy being left alone for the next week like he had planned. The fact that one side of his brain was yelling at his worthless body to move and the other was just asking “why” was enough for McGee to know there was something wrong. But that didn’t mean he felt like he needed to fix it.

He’d had this feeling before. It wasn’t anything new. His games that he normally obsessed over became just another chore. His meals were all off—no longer wanting to eat his normal favorites. Nothing seemed to interest him and he just didn’t feel like himself. But, this person that took over McGee’s body didn’t care enough to do anything to get the old McGee back.

He’d ignore calls and texts, unable to take human contact no matter how much he also craved it. He cried, mostly. Sat in bed thinking of all the ways he could end everything with just the things in his apartment. He couldn’t act on the thoughts, couldn’t do that to his team. But—oh—how he wanted to. Not to mention that Timmy couldn’t stand the thought of something like that being found by the people he loved. 

He’d felt it coming for a while. The sadness just there. He thought he could ignore it. That if he didn’t feed it, it would go away. But that’s the thing about this whole thing—it doesn’t need to be feed. You don’t have to place a bowl down and snap your fingers for it to come to you. It follows the sent of your fear and insecurity, knowing that if it waits long enough, you won’t even be conscious of feeding it. And when crumbs aren’t enough, it’ll happily chew on your ankle long after you start kicking it off. And then, all of a sudden, you can’t remember the last time it wasn’t chewing on your leg, or the last time you didn’t feel the pain of it’s teeth deep in your flesh.

And just when McGee was ready to start yelling at walls with tears streaming down his face, DiNozzo showed up demanding McGee go with him to dinner. So, here McGee sat. The world feeling fake as DiNozzo drove down the twisting roads lit by dwindling sunlight.

Had McGee been paying attention, he would have recognized the stress and turns and the large oak tree on the corner, but it wasn’t until they pulled up to the old house that McGee’s brows furrowed. He looked over to DiNozzo.

“Tony, why are we—“

“Come on, McGoo.” DiNozzo said, getting out of the car and slamming his door.

McGee followed hesitantly. He knew this house better than his own, but it still didn’t feel real. He didn’t feel real. Although, nothing really had for a while now.

“Papa! Tony’s back!” McGee heard Katie yell, running towards them with a large smile plastered on her face and a bear squished between her arm and chest. “And he brought Timmy!”

A small smile found its way to McGee’s face as he looked at Katie’s excitement.

Gibbs’s head popped out from around the corner, brow furrowed until he landed eyes on McGee. “Hey, bud.”

McGee waved, feeling Timmy perk up a bit . It was the first time in a while either of them had a flicker of happiness.

“Tony, I said to not go out.” Gibbs said when his eyes landed on the other boy. 

“But papa!” Tony said, his little side now fully out. “Timmy was sad and just wanted friends!”

Gibbs sighed, looking McGee over. “This one time, I will let you go. But don’t do this again.”

Tony nodded with a serious face, then looked up at McGee with a smile. “Come play with us!”

McGee looked uncertain, then shook his head. “Give me a second, okay?”

Tony nodded happily and ran after Katie to the living room.

Gibbs took a few steps forward, eyes slightly narrowed as he looked McGee over. “Come sit with me in the kitchen while I make dinner.”

McGee knew better than to think that was a question and took a seat at the table as Gibbs stirred a pot on the stove. They sat in silence for a few minutes, wich only served to rack up McGee’s anxiety.

“What to tell me what’s actually up?” Gibbs finally asked, flicking the switch off on the stove.

McGee shook his head to say no, not really sure if he could talk about it.

Gibbs didn’t push, though. Instead, he pulled out plates and silverware to set the table.

“Sometimes our heads can be mean to us and tell us things that aren’t true. And we don’t feel like ourselves. And sometimes people tell us to just get over it because they don’t understand. But, here, nothing like that is going to happen. This is someplace safe.” Gibbs kneeled in front of McGee, taking his hand. “If you want to hide in your room but know that we’re here, you can do that. You can come when you don’t feel little if you just need some cuddles. My door is always open.

“I know you may not believe this right now, but you are a beautiful person, McGee. We love you, and you will always have our support.”

Tears were spilling over before McGee knew what to do, dropping so quickly he nearly lost his breath. He fell forward, clinging to his papa as tightly as he could. He didn’t know he needed those words u til someone had said them, and they changed his whole day.

It took a long time for Gibbs to settle Timmy down enough to get him to let go, and a while still to get him dressed in his play clothes. Gibbs felt bad for doing it, but he had to put Timmy down for a second to grab everything.

The boy let out an ear-piercing scream, hurting Gibbs’s ears. The man quickly gathered what he’d need and picked Timmy back up, rocking softly side to side.

Gibbs ended up having to keep Timmy on his lap through dinner, letting him eat off his papa’s plate.

Timmy was quite happy sitting with Gibbs and playing with Tony and Katie. He felt better than he had for the past three days. He knew it would probably fade when he was big again, but for right now, he was okay. He was cuddled next to his papa as they watched a movie, tummy full and happy. It wouldn’t always be perfect, but at least he’d always have his papa and Tony and Katie. He could do this for them. He could fight this for them. That’s what love is about, right?


End file.
